Apparatus for refining oil



May 25, 192s. 1,586,132

MaJ. TUMBLE APPARATUS FOR REFINING OIL Filed sept. 2, 192'4 /V/A 0M. Jfea/VELE.

Patented May 25, 1926*.

UNITED STATES MILON J. TRUE-BLE, OF LOS ANGELES, lCALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR REFINING OIL.

Application filed September My invention relates to the art of re-Vining hydrocarbon oils, and more particularly to the refining andcracking of heavy hydrocarbons. It 1s a well known fact that in handlingmany types of heavy oil, the residuum from 'the refining or crackingoperation is either solidor semi-solid, sticking and calling inthestill, which soon -has to be shut down and cleaned due to thedeposits therein.

An object of my invention is to provide means by which very heavy oilsmay be refined and cracked without trouble from deposits, these depositsbeing mechanically removed as fast as formed.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a. still which willbe electrically heated so that the temperature can be exactly regulatedat all times. r

Further objects and advantages wlll be made evident hereinafter;

Referring to the drawing which is lfor illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a. transverse section of the same.

In the drawing 11 is a closed chamber having tight ends 12 and 13.Bearings 14 and 15 are secured to the ends 12 and 13,V

being electrically separated therefrom by in. sulation 16.- Each of thebearings 14 and 15 are provided with a stuing box 17 fitting. about astub shaft 18. Qn the inner end of each of the stub shafts 18 is a metaldisc 19, these discs being connected by means of a metal cylinder 20. Acurrent of elec-- tricity is delivered tothe shafts 18 by c ollectorrings 30, having .brushes 31 supplied with current from a secondary 32of a tran-` former 33. Located directly above the cylinder 2O is aperforated pipe`40supplied with the heavy hydrocarbon through a valve41. The cylinder 20 is rotated in the di rection of the arrow B of Fig.2 and a scraper 42 insulatedfrom the outer casing is provided in theposition shown in that Situated below the cylinder 20 under a protectinghood -is a vapor outlet pipe 51 which has perforations 52 in the topthereof, this pipe extending through the end 13 and being' provided witha valve '53. The cylinder 20 is turned slowly by means ofran insulatedgear wheel 55 from any convenient source of power.

The method of operation of the invention is as follows:

2, i924. seriai Nb. 735,356.

The cylinder 20, being turnedsloivly, the heavy hydrocarbon is deliveredoii the top thereof through the pipe 40, the rate of ioivbeingcontrolled by a valve 41. In case asphalt or other heavy bituminousmatter is to betreat-ed, it may be heated for the purbe made of anymetal but I have found that mild steel pipe is quite satisfactory forthc purpose. A potential of from ten to thirty volts and a current ofapproximately ten thousand amperes is suflicient to heat'a l() inchcylinder 10 feet long. This resistance heating can be exactly regulatedby regulating the current supplied which may be controlled by anyconvenient means, not shown, The hydrocarbon adhering to the highlyheated surface is subjected to'. a combined distilling and crackingaction, the vapors being readilyy driven olf from the thin film into theinterior of the chamber 11, these vapors being withdrawn through thepipe 51. A portion of the hydrocarbon in many cases'will adhere to thecylinder in the form of a very heavy tarlor even coke. This material isconstantly vscraped olf by the scraper 42, falling into the bottoni ofthe member '11, from which it may be readily removed through convenienthaiidholes.

It will be noted that by my process I ain able to heat very heavyhydrocarbons in a thin film andv that I am able tol provide a continuousprocess in which theheavy carbon residues are removed mechanically fromthe heating surface soon aftcibeing formed.

It will further be noted-.thatlsl provide al thin film on anelectrically heated surface, the temperature of which can be accuratelycontrolled at all times.

It will'be further noted that by a suitable manipulation of the valve53, I vam able to maintain and regulate the pressure inside theapparatus soA that the whole operation can be carried under pressure ifdesired.

I claim as my invention: n 1. In an evaporator for treating petroleumoils, the combination of: a cylinder; two shafts, one projecting fromone end of said cylinder and the other projecting from the other end ofsaid cylinder, said shafts having a common axis about which saidcylinder rotates; a tight casing enclosing said Cylinder; an oil inletmeans for delivering oil onto said cylinder; a vapor outlet means forwithdrawing oil vapor from said cas- `ing; two bearings, one supportingone of said shafts and the other supporting the other of said shafts;means for electrically insulating said bearings from said casing and.means for impressing an electromotive force between one end of saidcylinder and the other end of said cylinder.

2. A device asI in claim 1 in which the means for impressing anelectromotive force between one end of said cylinder and the other endof said cylinder includes: two co1- lector rings, one mounted on one ofsaid shafts and the other mounted on the other of saidshafts; twobrushes, one bearing on one of said collector rings and the otherbearing on the other of said collector rings; and means for impressingan electromotive force between said brushes.

3. A device as in claim 1 in which said shafts are surrounded bycollector rings which are entirely outside said casing.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 26th day of August, 1924.

MILON J. TRUMBLE.

